


Parrot Design

by moonbeamwolf



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 02:37:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12224025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonbeamwolf/pseuds/moonbeamwolf
Summary: A child blessed with aura by Arceus. A friend to Pokemon with a dream to be a Pokemon and Coordinator Master after watching the Wallace Cup at seven. Three years before he is due to start on his journey, Ash Ketchum finds an injured and powerful Pokemon that has escaped from a criminal organization. After being nursed back to health, the Pokemon decides to hang around with the human child who saved it. Upon turning ten, Ash Ketchum wakes up late and ends up getting a Pikachu as well and retreats into the forest to catch the powerful Pokemon who has stuck by him. With knowledge and loyal Pokemon, can anything stop Ash Ketchum from achieving his dream? Smarter Ash! Aura Ash! Eventual Pearlshipping! Answer to MathiasNightlord01 Pokemon Trainer and/Or Coordinator challenge





	1. Challenge Information

**I am doing this Pokemon story which will have Ash as an Aura Guardian. The main pairing will be Ash/Dawn though the relationship will not start until Sinnoh region.**

**Smart Ash! AuraAsh! Pearlship! Trainer & Coordinator Ash/Coordinator Dawn!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.  That belongs to Nintendo Creatures Inc. and Game Freak.**

**Master Ball is is customized for Ash's powerful friend.  Instead of a lower white half, it is the colors of Lucario per below requirements for the challenge.**

_**Bold below in the challenge information selections are what I have chosen.** _

_This will be a long book and cover all of Ash's adventures, divided into books.  Each book represents a region.  Pearlship will not start until Sinnoh region._

**Time Frame for each book:**

**1 year for each region**

**6 months for Orange Island Archipelago**

**6 months for Kanto Battle** **Frontier**

* * *

**Challenge Information**

Ash, Pokémon Trainer and/or Coordinator

By MathiasNightLord01

What if Ash's dream wasn't just to become the world's Greatest Pokémon Master but the World's Greatest Pokémon and Contest Master or just the World's Greatest Contest Master? I got this idea after watching Nando and Wallace episodes in the anime it got me thinking, Ash did pretty well on the Contest Stage so why not have someone write a fanfic about him being like Nando, a Pokémon Trainer and Coordinator when he starts out on his journey. But like my first Challenge I'll have him befriend a powerful and rare Pokémon about 3-4 years before he becomes a trainer and gets Pikachu and it decides to come with him and Pikachu on their journey.

The basic theme is that after seeing Wallace, A Contest and Water Pokémon Master battle in both contests and against the Elite Four, Ash's dream is to either become the World's Greatest Pokémon Master and Contest Master or just The World's Greatest Contest Master. Then, after deciding this he begins to work hard on studying more about the Pokémon world before going on his journey and know more about Pokémon training and/or Coordinating than he did in cannon because of it.

Then about a week or so afterwards he befriends a powerful and rare Pokémon that's been injured by Team Rocket or one of the other Criminal Organizations that managed to escape to somewhere in the forest near Pallet Town. Then, after Ash finds it, He nurses it back to health and it decides to stay in Pallet with Ash until he becomes a Pokémon Trainer.

After he becomes a Trainer Ash captures it with a special Master Ball that is customized ironically, in the colors of the Pokémon he befriended as he is waiting for Oak to get Pikachu from somewhere in his Lab.

**Here are the requirements:**

1.) Ash must either become a Pokémon Trainer and Coordinator or just a Coordinator after seeing Wallace, A Contest and Water Pokémon Master battle in both contests and against the Elite Four.

2.) Ash must be male, no Gender bending or Yaoi themes allowed

3.) Ash is smarter and more knowledgeable about the Pokémon world before going on his Journey and knows more about Pokémon training and/or Coordinating than he did in cannon because of it.

4.) During Contests he will have different outfits than his normal ones and dress up like in the Sinnoh Region Contests that are made by his mother or himself, Brock, or a Famous Pokémon Stylist he befriends.

5.) Must use Ball Capsules and Seals imported from the Sinnoh Region in Contests

6.) Captures more Pokémon than he does in cannon and rotates them out to train all of them for Pokémon Battling and/or Coordinating

7.) Must befriend just ONE of the following Pokémon that chooses to come with him before setting out on his Journey with Pikachu and captured using a special Master Ball in the colors of the Pokémon being captured given to him by Prof. Oak as a gift (However, Oak is unaware of what he will capture with it):

**Lucario (male)**

Rayquaza (Shiny optional) (Male)

Ho-Oh (Male)

Mew (Female)

Zoroark (Shiny optional) (Female)

Raikou (Male)

Zekrom (Male)

Reshiram (Male)

Victini (Shiny optional) (Male)

Mienshao (Female)

Hydreigon (Male)

Salamance (Male)

Celebi (Female)

Shaymin (Male)

Heatran (Male)

Eelektross (Male)

Druddigon (Male)

Absol (Male)

8.) Captures a least few Shiny Pokémon.

9.) Captures at least some of the Legendary Pokémon he encounters in the movies and anime series.

10.) Captures at least a few of the Fossil Pokémon he encounters in the anime series.

11.) Ash's Charizard will be a Shiny Pokémon and as Charmander it wasn't caught by Damian first but captured by Ash before Damian was able to get it under his abuse similar to how Ash caught his Quilava as a Cyndaquil. But Damian tries to crush it with his other Pokémon it after Ash catches it but fails miserably like cannon.

12.) Since Ash is smarter in the story Charmeleon and later Charizard never disobeys Ash.

13.) Shiny Pokémon are about 5 times stronger than Normal Pokémon of their species

14.) Ash must age and grow in this story to be at least 6 ft tall

15.) The clothes he wears to Unova are banned (because I don't like his Unova Appearance)

16.) Ash's Pikachu chooses to evolve at some point during or after the Battle Frontier Saga or the Sinnoh Saga after learning all its Electric Type moves

17.) All Pokémon must NOT be limited to 4 four moves but can learn any amount of moves that they are able to learn from their move sets from both the games and anime and retain those moves after learning them. Under no circumstances are the Pokémon’s moves to be limited, be it League Rules, Gym Battles, Contests, or Grand Festival Rules, I've seen it done before and it just makes the battles boring and repetitive, they are to have full access to the all the moves they can learn in ALL battles and contests.

18.) All moves MUST come from either the games, the anime, or the movies. Moves from the Pokémon TCG (Trading Card Game) are not allowed.

19.) All Pokémon Myths and Legends must be consistent with that of the Anime, Movies, and Games

20.) Ash must have more of his Pokémon fully evolve.

21.) Choose any one of these for the Paring (No Harems or Pokeshipping):

Ash x Cynthia

Ash x Karen

Ash x Lyra

Ash x Phoebe

Ash x Shauntal

Ash x Janine

Ash x Iris (Black and White 2 Appearance)

Ash x Prof. Juniper

Ash x Solana

Ash x Sabrina

Ash x Jeanette Fisher

Ash x May

**Ash x Dawn**

Ash x Greta

Ash x Anabel

Ash x Solidad

Ash x Roxie

Ash x Jasmine

Ash x Flannery

Ash x Maylene

Ash x Clair

Ash x Winona

Ash x Fantina

Ash x Melody (Movie 2)

Ash x Marble

Ash x Ursula

Ash x Candice

Ash x Fennel

Ash x Elesa

Ash x Hilda

Ash x OC

 **Recommended** :

Rating should range from K through M

Stories should be written in the third person point of view

If Rating is M, have some Lemons and/or Limes

Use Bulbapedia as a source for Pokémon information

**PM[MathiasNightlord01](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2375962/MathiasNightlord01) if you decide to take the Challenge or Post a story claiming to take the challenge somewhere in the summary or first chapter.**


	2. Kanto: Hopes and Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the first book within Parrot Design, detailing Ash's adventures in the Kanto region.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each chapter will have the region before it, except for the first chapter which is just challenge information, so that readers will know where the story falls into play within Ash's adventures to be a Pokemon Master and Coordinator. 
> 
> Key:  
> "word" means speech  
> bold italic means Pokedex  
> italic means thoughts  
> *italic* means Ash & Pokemon communicating via minds  
> ~bold italic~ means Pokemon memory

**Chapter One**

**_Hopes and Dreams_ **

Book 1: Kanto Region

_Three years prior to start of journey_

The Kanto Region.  One of many in the Pokémon World and home to Professor Samuel Oak, the regional professor of Kanto.  The man handed out a Charmander, a Squirtle or a Bulbasaur to beginning trainers in Pallet Town as well as Pokeballs and Pokédex, a high-tech encyclopedia that documented information on any Pokémon that was seen or caught by beginning trainers who were set to begin their journey upon reaching their tenth birthday.  Professor Oak studied the relationships between Pokémon and humans.   He had a grandson named Gary Oak who would be one of four trainers starting their own journey in three years.

Kanto was located east of Johto, route 28 turning into route 29 when it entered Johto.  It had a temperate climate and most of the cities were named after colors.  The majority of the region was covered in lush forests and plains, yet also had mountains and a huge bay which opened up to the sea in the southwest of the region.  Many of the cities were located within the central part of the region and Kanto was known for having a history of creating Pokémon with technology.  A lot of Pokémon called Kanto home, though of course nobody could speak the different languages of the Pokémon species.  Yet it is within Pallet Town that the story of a boy named Ash Ketchum begins….

_“And Wallace has won the Wallace Cup!  He is now the Top Coordinator and winner of the Ribbon Cup.”_

“Ash!  It’s time for bed,” said Delia Ketchum from the doorway, having come upstairs to tell her seven-year-old son to go to bed. 

“Mama do I have to? Wally just became Top Coordinator!” Ash Ketchum shouted, his eyes brimming with excitement at what he had just watched. 

“Regardless Ash, it’s time for bed,” Delia said as she walked into her son’s bedroom and turned off the television with the remote. “Did you brush your teeth?”

“Yes mama. After I got changed into my pajamas.”  Reluctantly the seven-year-old stood and got into bed, his mother pulling the blanket up over him and kissing him goodnight before leaving the room.  When the light switch had been turned off and Delia had left the bedroom to retire to her own, Ash lay awake under his blue blanket, his Pidgey clock resting on the bedside table as he stared up at the ceiling.  Ash had thought that he would want to be a Pokémon Master but after watching Wallace win the Wallace Cup and become Top Coordinator he realized he wanted to be more.  Not just a Pokémon Master but also a Top Coordinator.  The moves that Wallace had performed in the contest were beautiful and surely the contest moves would help in battles and vice versa.  With a smile on his face, the child fell into dreamland.

_*Help…someone…*_

**_~Pain.  Excruciating agony erupted on his right side.  The scent of blood and burned flesh reaching his nostrils.  Breathing hurt…short gasps…fear.   A building surrounded by tall cliffs.  Run!  Get away!  Something moving...diving to the side just as a Hyper Beam exploded on the ground where it had just been._ **

**_Humans in black outfits with the letter R in orange on the shirts and small caps.  Silver belts with orange buckles.  Turning…a Dragonite standing there to his side…a Nidoking and Nidoqueen coming behind him…a flash of light and a Golem appearing in front of him.... Surrounded!  No escape!  Nowhere to run!_ **

**_A human dressed in a brown suit, a Persian walking by his side as the other Pokémon part to let him through.  The boss.  The one who arranged for him to be stolen from his home in the Sinnoh region.  Teeth bared as it struggles to get up, vision blackening…surroundings swaying to and fro before him.   A ball of blue energy forming between the injured Pokémon’s hands before it is fired…knocked to the ground again as it is hit with Tackle from the Golem…the blue ball of energy going off target and hitting the ground near a few of the Team Rocket grunts.  With the distraction were hurried steps as the injured Pokémon ran for its life._ **

**_A dead end.  Trapped!  Breathing coming once more in short gasps.  Steep cliffs on all sides.  A growl as running feet and paws found their way towards the trapped Pokémon.  A battle…cries of pain…cries of anger…harsh commands…the ground smoking from attacks meeting and colliding.  Injured and in pain…it searched for somewhere to run.  Gathering the last bit of strength in its body…another ball of blue energy formed between its hands…mouths glowing with orange energy from their respective Hyper Beam attacks that were charging.  As they fired, the blue energy ball flew from two hands…the shockwave of the colliding attacks knocking both human and Pokémon off their feet.  Wind rushed over them._ **

**_Another distraction.  Run!  Blinded by the smoke…heaving sides…ears twitching as a rushing sound was heard.  Empty space below…roiling blue water…white foam against the steep sides of the cliffs…using a last burst of speed it leaped...~_ **

Ash woke up with a gasp, sweat covering the child’s forehead as he looked widely around his room.  He glanced at his clock and saw it was five thirty in the morning.  It was dawn.  Tremors ran through his body as he thought of the…well he could only describe it as a nightmare but it was unlike any nightmare he had experienced before.  The nightmare was frightening to say the least and he was afraid of going back to sleep or disturbing his mother so instead, Ash changed, grabbed his sneakers and made his way downstairs as quietly as possible before deciding to go for a walk.  Maybe he would go to Professor Oak’s lab later and ask the professor about contests.  Professor Oak was a cheerful fellow and Ash liked him.

There was a forest near Pallet Town, the town itself situated at the bottom of one hill, with Professor Oak’s lab on another hill to the right of the town.  The windmill next to the lab was turning slightly with the cool breeze of that summer morning.  The sky was still dark but in spots had a myriad of color, a little light visible as Ash stepped outside his home and made for the forest.  Sometimes he would walk there, sometimes to just be alone after his falling out with Gary and sometimes to watch the few Pokémon that lived within the forest and along Route 1.  As he couldn’t get his own Pokémon until he was ten, Ash could sit close to them and think. 

Ash’s father wasn’t in his life, the man rather out in the world to achieve his dream of being a Pokémon Master according to his mother.  Even his mother was unsure what his father’s name was, something that had hurt the child who had a love of Pokémon and was blessed by Arceus though he knew it not.  Above him there were flocks of Pidgey beginning to stir in their nests high in the trees.  Ash ignored the stirring Pokémon in the trees above him, the boy having learned the hard way that Pokémon could be aggressive when provoked or when one of their own was injured.  This being particularly true for flocks of Pidgey and Spearow. 

_*Help.  Some…*_

Ash halted in his tracks as he heard a voice in his head.  He couldn’t be positive but he thought it might be the same voice he had heard in his nightmare.   A frown creased the child’s face as he tried to figure out why he had heard the voice in his head and not been spoken out loud.  He wasn’t even sure what it was that he had had a nightmare about.  Was it a human? A Pokémon that walked on two legs?  But the only thing Ash had to go on was a blue ball of energy. “Who…who’s there?” Ash called.  At least Gary wasn’t here to say he was crazy for talking to himself.  He searched for something to protect himself with, yet all that lay on the ground were small branches.  Nothing that could protect him from a bad human or a wild Pokémon.  Should he go back and tell his mom about hearing a voice in his head?  No…she might think he was sick or worse not let him begin his journey three years from now.

He continued to walk through the forest when he was hit again with another…nightmare?  With a shriek of surprise, the raven-haired child fell to his knees beside a moss-covered rock in the forest and his brown eyes grew large as…whatever it was…again assaulted his mind. 

**_~Agony.  Pain.  Falling.  A splash and then the feeling of drowning.  A moment of relief as cold water rushed over the injury.  Too tired to swim.  Only the sound of rushing water that sweeps the victim downstream.  Tumbling head over heels in the rushing current of the river.  A sharp crack as head hits an underwater rock._ **

**_Eyes snap open…chest tightening from lack of air.  A faint glimmer of light…the surface? Which way is up and which is down?  Confusion…more panic…only chance.  The water pushing down, battering against an injured body.  Kicking with long legs it rose slowly to the surface, even as the movement aggravated the wound on its right side.  With muscles aching and chest screaming for air the figure struggled to the surface…finally bursting free and taking great gulps of air.  Coughing…looking around it…a forest.  The water was slower and it swam to shore, only to fall on hands and knees in the shallow water and crawl the last few feet to shore where it collapsed, panting heavily.  The injury in its side a matted place of blood and burned flesh._ **

**_Safety.  Hide.  It had to hide. Where?  The forest…only hope.  Staggering up to its feet it clutched its side with a hand that seemed covered in black…fur?  Vision swimming before its eyes…it ran.  Had to hide.  Had to find help.  Flashes of trees…a deep forest…eyes darting desperately as it searched for a place to hide and tend to its wounds.  Heavy breathing…something ahead…a cave…it ran for it, squeezing inside the narrow entrance before collapsing.  A flash of a pointed muzzle and large eyes that were swimming in pain.~_ **

Ash Ketchum clutched his chest as he opened his eyes to find himself on the ground.  He lay there gasping for air as the sky bled its inky blackness, fading into the colorful palate of dawn.  As his breathing slowed and he gained awareness, Ash slowly sat up and looked around.  _Something was hurt.  Something needed help_.  He wasn’t sure how he knew this but Ash was scared.  Something…a Pokémon…was calling out to him.  Young Ash Ketchum who was not even old enough to get a license or a starter Pokémon, let alone old enough to go out into the world away from the comfort and safety of his home here in Pallet Town decided to look for whoever or whatever was in pain.  It had to be a Pokémon that he had seen for Ash knew that humans didn’t have fur and he was positive it was fur he had seen.  The child lurched to his feet and closing his eyes, he tried to picture the area where the hurt Pokémon was in.  There weren’t many caves in the forest, only three, but only one with a narrow entrance.  It was…west of where he was.  At least he was positive.  It _had_ been night when he had gotten lost when he had been younger and had crawled into a cave with a narrow opening until his mama found him the next afternoon.

Shaking his head, he headed west, heading away from the rising sun as he knew that the sun rose in the east.  So, with the rising sun to his back, he moved through the forest as quickly as he could, careful not to startle the emerging Rattata who were coming from their dens to forage for food and berries.  It was past sunup when he had found the cave and looked around him.   Spotting the opening a little off to his left, it didn’t help the child that he was small and the opening was partly concealed by bushes, he jogged over to it.  “H…Hello?” Ash asked.  “Is…Is someone here?  I won’t hurt you.  I…” he paused for a moment, wondering if he was being stupid.  “…I heard a voice.”

Ash crouched near the entrance to the cave and crawled inside, his curiosity overtaking any common sense in the child’s brain, a groan of pain assaulting his ears as he entered the darkness.   As he crawled through the cave entrance the darkness swamped his vision, making it hard for him to see but he finally hit something that wasn’t rock…something _soft_..something that was _warm_ …something that was _breathing_.  It took the Ketchum child a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cave where he saw…a Pokémon!

_Three years later_

_“Oh, and there’s Nidorino with a Horn Attack but Gengar bounces right back! Gengar strikes back with Hypnosis.  Is this the end of Nidorino?”_

It was a match between two trainers participating in the Indigo League at the Indigo Plateau which was located at the base of Mount Silver.  Kanto and Johto shared the Elite 4 and Champion but each had their own league as Kanto didn’t have their own Elite 4 or Champion.  The Elite 4 were the best of the best and the Champion was the best of all in a particular region.  Only those who had won the league could go on to challenge the Elite 4 and if they beat the Elite 4 then they could challenge the Champion.  Ash also knew that once beating the Champion, that trainer became the new Champion and had to battle all subsequent trainers after becoming Champion who tried to become the new Champion.  The Indigo Plateau was also where the Kanto Grand Festival was held and where one could battle to become Top Coordinator. 

“Ash!” Delia Ketchum shouted as she walked into her son’s room.  It was May 21st which meant tomorrow would be Ash’s tenth birthday.  It also meant he could get his starter Pokémon which he was excited about.  

“Yeah mom?” Ash asked without removing his gaze from the television.

“It’s time for bed.  You have a big day tomorrow, getting your own Pokémon.  You don’t want to be late.”

“It’s getting to the good part mom,” Ash whined. 

“Well if you’re going to watch television then watch something educational,” Delia said as she picked up the remote and turned the channel to a lecture the Professor was having on the starter Pokémon to choose from in Kanto.  Three pictures were up side-by-side on the screen with Professor Oak holding a stick and pointing at each picture.  From left to right were Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.  Grass, Fire, Water.   “Then please go to bed after watching this.”

“Alright mom,” said Ash.

As Delia walked towards the hallway, Ash looked at his mother.  “Mom?”

“Yes Ash?” Delia questioned as she stopped in the doorway of her son’s room.

“Do you think I’ll met dad on my travels?”

Delia walked back into the room and took a seat on Ash’s bed, Ash getting to his feet and walking over to sit by his mom.  Delia put her arm around Ash’s shoulders as she looked at her lap, unsure how to answer his question.   Truthfully, Ash’s father had been out of contact with her ever since before Ash was born but she had tried to send a note to him, saying she was pregnant and then again when Ash was born.   “I don’t know Ash if you will ever meet your father,” Delia said.  “You know that he was training to become a Pokémon Master since before you were born and he is still on that journey as far as I know.  I haven’t had any contact with him or seen him since before I became pregnant with you.  He left shortly after.”

“Does…does he know about me?” Ash asked. 

“I sent him a note to tell him I was pregnant with you and then again when you were born but never received a reply,” Delia said.  “However, his father, your grandfather, was also a great Pokémon Master.”

“So, it’s in my blood to be great?”  He had only seen pictures of his father and grandfather that his mother had from before his father left his mom. 

“I suppose you could say that,” said Delia.  “But just because your grandfather and father strived to be great Pokémon Masters doesn’t mean that it is in your blood. Though it might explain your ability to befriend Pokémon.  But Ash in life you will win some battles and you will lose some battles.  You have to learn to accept that you won’t win every battle in life. You’ll make friends on your journey and you will make rivals which is part of being a Trainer.  You may even experience love…”

“MOM!”

Delia smiled and ruffled Ash’s hair.  “As I was saying, you may indeed experience love, homesickness, fear, anger, and even betrayal.  Part of becoming a trainer is raising a Pokémon from a low level, evolving it and growing with your Pokémon to be the best you can become.  You’ll face trials ahead of you and hard work to become a Pokémon Master and Top Coordinator like you wish to be son, but as long as you do your best, accept help from your Pokémon, and train with all of your Pokémon by rotating them so they each get experience, then you’ll be great even if you lose your dream.  I’ll always be here to support you in your journey,” she said.

“Thanks mom. I’ll do my best for you and dad and grandpa.”

“Do the best for yourself as well Ash and I’ll be happy.  Perhaps you might meet your father on your own journey but if not then I hope you don’t harbor any anger towards him.  Anger won’t get you anywhere in life and will just make you a bitter and violent man.”

Ash nodded and reached over the desk to pick up a custom Master Ball that had been custom made by Professor Oak on Ash’s request.  There was the traditional black stripe around the middle with a circle in which the button to release the Pokémon inside and shrink the Pokeball in the center and the letter **_‘M’_** in white above the button.  The top half was in azure blue while the bottom half of the ball was black.  Two cream circles were on either side of the azure blue top of the Master Ball.   Neither the professor or his mom knew about the Pokémon he had found and nursed back to health or that it had agreed to go with him on his journey. 

“Thanks mom,” said Ash.   “Good night.”

“Goodnight baby,” said Delia as she got up and left her son’s bedroom, closing the door softly behind her.  

The next morning Ash woke up at seven in the morning.  He went into the bathroom and took a nice hot shower before brushing his hair and getting changed into blue pants, a white t-shirt and a blue vest.  Lastly, he put on a red and white hat on his head and grabbed his green backpack that had been packed the night before after dinner.  Ash grabbed his sneakers and pulled them on.  He had extra Potions for if he or his Pokémon got sick, cooking supplies, Pokémon food, extra water, and clothes.  He could get more supplies if he needed them at the towns and cities he visited on his journey.  Ash tossed in his brush and his toothbrush as he headed for the stairs and headed down for breakfast with his mom. 

“Good morning Ash.  Are you ready to begin your journey?” Delia asked as she brought in pancakes, eggs and orange juice. 

“You bet!  I can’t wait to begin catching Pokémon and practicing moves for battling and contests,” said Ash.  “Though I’m not sure what Pokémon I want yet as my partner.”

“It is a big decision,” said Delia.  “Your father was a traveling trainer when we met.”

“What Pokémon did he have?” Ash asked as he bit into the pancakes, savoring the taste.  His mom was a great cook in the ten-year-old’s opinion.

“He was from Johto so he started out with a Cyndaquil,” said Delia.  “I’m afraid I don’t remember where your grandfather was from or what Pokémon he chose to start out with.”

“That’s okay,” Ash said, knowing if anyone was at fault for his mother’s sadness, it was his father for being selfish and not trying to contact his…girlfriend…wife and son.  Ash hoped nothing had happened to his father as he wanted answers.  Why had he and his mother been abandoned?  Why was his father on a journey?  What was he like?  Did he love Ash and his mom? Why did he never come back?

“Ash?” Delia asked.  She put her hand on Ash’s forehead.  “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine mom,” Ash said as he shook his head to clear his thoughts.  “Just thinking about dad and if he’s alive.”

Delia frowned but nodded to herself and the pair fell into silence as they ate.  Once Ash had finished his dinner and brushed his teeth again at his mother’s insistence, he was ready to go to Professor Oak’s lab.  “Bye mom,” he said as he gave her a hug before running out the door.  

“My little boy all grown up,” said Delia fondly, tears coming to her eyes. 


	3. Kanto: I Choose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The other Kanto trainers, Lilith and Ray, are introduced and Gary loses a bet to his grandfather. The beginning trainers begin their journey by picking out their respective Pokemon before setting off on their respective journeys with their chosen partner at their sides. Ash also catches Lucario to take with him on his journey.

**Chapter Two**

**_I Choose You!_ **

The day that the four trainers from Pallet Town would begin their respective journeys brought a clear sunny sky with no clouds anywhere in the atmosphere.  Usually there would be only three people starting out every year, hence why there was only one of each starter raised up to level five for beginning trainers’ but this year, there was four people who were of age to begin their own Pokémon journey with their partner Pokémon.  Besides Ash, there was Gary Oak who was the grandson of Professor Samuel Oak, Lilith Green, and Ray Morgan.  It was a perfect day for traveling and setting out on one’s journey to achieve their dreams…and dreams were what Ash hoped to achieve and conquer. 

A set of stone stairs was placed into the side of the hill which wound up it to the Professor’s laboratory and Ash could see a red convertible with a group of girls sitting in it that was parked by the Professor’s lab.  Gary was likely in the lab with his grandfather at the moment and Ash wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  It was hard to believe the two rivals had once been friends until an incident in their early childhood with a fight over an old Pokeball, yet despite this, the two rivals still kept their halves of the Pokeball, as a memento to what they used to have.  Now the two rivals were well known in Pallet Town and often traded insults with each other, but Gary tended to be an arrogant jerk and that really got under Ash’s skin.  The two rivals had different ways of treating and raising Pokémon as well; Ash believed one had to be friends with their team to help them grow; Gary just believed the stronger the better.

As Ash reached the top of the hill, the Professor’s laboratory stood out in front of him, a great white building with a windmill off to the right of the laboratory.  The lab itself was two stories high with the research portion of the lab compromising the entire second floor.  As he walked across the crest of the hill towards the lab, he saw that Lilith and Ray were already there.  Lilith had blond hair, chocolate brown eyes and peach skin.  She was dressed in khaki shorts and a green t-shirt with an orange backpack on.  Ray Morgan had medium brown skin, wavy black hair and intense black eyes.  Both children turned to Ash and while Ray didn’t say anything, Lilith greeted Ash with a hug which Ash returned.  “Morning Lilith and Ray.”

“Morning Ash,” said Lilith.  “Did you see that convertible and those girls in the car?  I saw Gary pulling up to the lab before I got here.  He’s inside the lab right now.”

Ash grit his teeth as he heard about Gary but nodded and went to open the door…until Ray’s voice stopped him, causing the raven-haired child to turn to the quiet boy.  “Gary said you’d be late to pick up a Pokémon.  I was at his house the other day and he bet Professor Oak ten dollars that you’d be late.”

Ash grinned at that.  “Well, Gary will just have to cough up the money to the professor,” said Ash before he pushed open the door, all three children grinning like Cheshire cats as they walked into the laboratory.  Blanking their faces, Ash stepped behind the two as the trio made their way towards the second floor which contained machines and computers…essentially it was the research floor of the professor’s lab. 

“Ah Ray, Lilith.  I see you’ve arrived,” said Professor Oak as he turned at the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, Ash having stopped a quarter of the way behind them on the stairs.  “Where’s Ash?”

Gary turned as he heard his grandfather greeting Ray and Lilith.  “Ha, I bet Ash was too scared to come.  He’s probably going to be late and miss getting out a Pokémon.”

“Morning Professor Oak,” said Lilith as she rolled her eyes at Gary’s arrogant behavior. 

 As they moved forward onto the second floor, Ash continued climbing the steps as Gary turned back to his grandfather.

“Gramps, when are we going to get our Pokémon?” Gary asked.

“Now Gary, I’m sure you can wait a little longer for Ash to show up or not.”

“Forget it Gramps.  Ashy Boy ain’t coming.  He’s already late and a loser.”

Professor Oak sighed and went towards the cylindrical machine in the middle of the room where there were three Pokeballs that contained the Kanto Starters surrounding a center space for a fourth Pokeball.   His grandson was often hard to deal with, not like Gary’s older sister Daisy who was a Pokémon Coordinator.  “Well, I guess that we might as well begin then since Ash isn’t…”

“I’m here Professor Oak,” said Ash as he came up the rest of the stairs, making everyone turn to look at him.   

Gary had a scowl on his face as he saw that Ash wasn’t late to the choosing of Pokémon.   Professor Oak, however, had a look of relief on his face.    “Ah Ash.  When did you get here?”

“A couple minutes after Lilith and Ray.  Ray told me about a bet between you and Gary so I decided to have some fun which is why I didn’t come up right away.”

“Well Gary, I believe you owe me ten dollars,” said Professor Oak.  Gary grumbled to himself but pulled out ten dollars to give to his grandfather which the Professor immediately pocketed.   “Now, if you four will come over here I’ll show you the three Kanto starters we have for choosing,” said Professor Oak as he turned to the cylinder machine that held the Pokeballs of new starters for trainers from Kanto.

“Professor there are only three here,” said Lilith as she looked.  “Where’s the fourth Pokémon?”

“The fourth Pokémon is one that I just caught a couple of days ago, and hasn’t been tamed yet,” said Professor Oak, “but it has some difficulties.”

“What sort of difficulties Professor?” asked Ash, his interest intrigued by the challenge ahead.

“Well, the Pokémon I caught is known as Pikachu, the Electric Mouse Pokémon.  It’s been causing trouble around Pallet Town so I caught it to ensure it didn’t get into any more trouble, though I must say, I’m at a loss as to what to do with it.”

“I’ll take it,” said Ash. 

“Well…it’s not really the best Pokémon for a beginning trainer.  I can see if there is another Pokémon from one of the other regions to send here for your use,” said Professor Oak.   

“Please Professor,” said Ash.  “I want the Pikachu.  If you just caught it a couple days ago, then it isn’t tame, yet right?”

“Well…yes.  That is correct,” said Professor Oak.  If it was a choice between his grandson and Ash getting the difficult Pokémon, truthfully, he thought Ash might be a better choice.  “Alright then.   Do you all mind waiting while I go get the Pikachu then or would you like to look at the starter Pokémon now?”

“I want my Pokémon now Gramps,” said Gary. 

Ray shrugged, not caring either way and Lilith shook her head no.  “I don’t mind Professor to wait,” she said. 

“Gary just wait a minute.  I’ll let you choose your Pokémon when I come back with the Pikachu.”

Gary shot Ash a look of contempt.  “Fine Gramps,” he said and went to go look out the window of the second floor at the back yard that expanded into the corral where the Professor studied Pokémon of Kanto and other regions that trainers from Kanto brought back from their journeys.

“I’m going to go say goodbye to my mom,” said Ash though he planned on catching his friend that he had made four years ago.  Without another word, he turned on his heel and made his way out of the lab and outside into the warm spring day, running down the stone stairs and across the road towards the forest that he had spent many days wandering in since that fateful day.

The forest was a peaceful and quiet place.  Not much had changed in four years but then nothing ever really changed around Pallet Town.  The forest outside of Pallet Town was home to mainly Spearow, Pidgey and Rattata.  Yet, it was also home to his best friend in the whole world…well, his best Pokémon friend.   He hummed a lullaby his mother often sang to get him to sleep when he was younger as he made his way to the cave where he had first discovered the Pokémon who would become his friend and agreed to come with him on his journey when he was old enough to get his trainer license and become a Pokémon Trainer. 

“Hello?” Ash called out as he walked through the forest.  “Where are you buddy? It’s me Ash. I’m getting ready to start my Pokémon journey, soon as Professor Oak finds the Pokémon he caught a couple days ago.”  Ash listened but heard nothing except the wind through the leaves of the trees around him and the occasional chirp of Pidgey and Spearow.    He stopped in a clearing and cupped his hands around his mouth before shouting.  “LU…?!” Before he could finish he heard rustling in the trees above him and something jumped down onto the ground, landing in a crouch behind him.  Ash turned around and stared as he saw a crouched figure on the ground before him, a figure that was covered in blue fur, four black paws and four black appendages on its head that rose when it was reading or sensing aura. 

The Aura Pokémon stood on its toes and nodded to his friend, the human who had cared for him after escaping from the human leader of Team Rocket.  “Lucario!” Ash shouted as he ran to his friend and hugged the Pokémon. 

 **“Lucario,”** Lucario said as he let his friend hug him. 

“Hey Lucario.  How have you been?”

 **“Cario,”** said Lucario with a half shrug. 

“Do you still want to go with me on my journey?”

Lucario stepped out of Ash’s hug and studied the novice trainer and coordinator before placing a spiked forepaw on Ash’s chest and closing his eyes.  The four black appendages rose as it read the boy’s aura, finding it as pure as it had been on the day they had first met.  Opening his eyes and removing his paw from Ash’s chest, he nodded once.  

“Alright,” said Ash as he removed the custom Master Ball and stepped back before throwing the Pokeball at Lucario which hit him in the forehead and opened, drawing the Aura Pokémon into the capsule as a red beam of energy.   The ball flew back into Ash’s hand and clicked automatically.  He grinned and shrank the Pokeball before slipping it into his backpack and made his way back to Professor Oak’s laboratory.    

By the time, he had gotten back to Professor Oak’s lab the others had already gotten their Pokémon and gone on ahead.  The red convertible with the fan girls in it was gone as well making Ash assume that Gary had taken them with him as some sort of support squad for his battles.  Well, Ash didn’t need a bunch of girls in cheerleading outfits with pom poms to cheer him on.  He knew his mother and the Professor would support him in his journey as well as his Pokémon team.  “Professor I’m back,” said Ash.

“Up here Ash,” said Professor Oak.   “The others already left if you were planning on traveling with them.”

Ash headed across the first floor and to the stairs, taking them two at a time before seeing the Professor by the machine that housed the Kanto Starters for new trainers and walked over.  “No, that’s alright Professor.  I think I’ll do my journey on my own.  Maybe I’ll make some more friends on my journey that I can travel with.” 

Professor Oak nodded and pressed a button that made the fourth Pokeball appear. He saw that it had a lightning bolt design on the top.   Ash picked it up and looked at it.  “This Pokeball has the Pikachu I was telling you about,” said Professor Oak as he took the red and white ball capsule from Ash and opened it.  A white light flooded the area before Ash’s eyes and he stared as a Pokémon was revealed, a Pokémon that resembled a chubby yellow mouse with two black tipped ears and two red spots on its cheeks with a tail in the shape of a lightning bolt and brown stripes on its body.

 **“Pikachu,”** said the Pokémon as he looked around him. 

“Aren’t you cute?” questioned Ash as he looked down at the Pokémon. 

 **“Chu,”** Pikachu said as he turned his head to the side. 

“Don’t you want to be my friend?  I asked to have you when the Professor mentioned how he caught you,” said Ash as he picked up the Pikachu.

“Ash!” shouted Professor Oak but it was too late.

 **“Pika…chuuuuu!”** shouted Pikachu as he used Thunder Shock on the stupid trainer. 

“I tried to warn you,” said Professor Oak.

“Little…late…Pro…fes…sor,” stammered Ash as he fell on the floor with the Pikachu still clutched in his hands. 

“I recommend wearing rubber gloves.”

“Why?”

“Rubber conducts electricity and therefore you won’t get shocked,” said the Professor.  He handed Pikachu’s Pokeball plus five other Pokeballs and a Pokédex.  “The Pokédex is your identification and a high-tech encyclopedia.  It records data on any Pokémon you see and catch,” said Professor Oak.  “It also lists your photo, ID number, name, hometown and region.  Try not to lose it because then I’ll have to program another Pokédex for you and I don’t want to do that.”

“Don’t worry Professor,” said Ash as he set the Pikachu down and got to his feet, taking the items and putting the four Pokeballs on the belt around his waist.  “Pikachu return,” he said.

 **“Chu,” s** aid Pikachu as he swung his tail and hit the Pokeball at the human child.  

“Hey!” said Ash as the Pokeball hit him in the face.  “What was that for Pikachu?”

 **“Chu!”** shouted the Electric Mouse Pokémon as he bit Ash’s hand, making the child winch and drop the Pokémon on the ground. 

Ash pulled out his Pokédex to scan his starter.   **_“Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pichu. Pikachu's tail is sometimes struck by lightning as it raises it to check its surroundings.”_**

“I’ve found that some Pokémon don’t like to be in their Pokeballs,” said Professor Oak.  “It seems that your Pikachu doesn’t want to be in its Pokeball.”

“So, what should I do Professor?”

“My advice is to keep it with you just in case it is needed.  Perhaps with time you can discover why Pikachu doesn’t like to be in its Pokeball.  Well, I guess that’s everything there is to say.  I believe you can register for the Indigo League in Viridian City,” said Professor Oak.

“Thanks Professor,” said Ash.  “Come on Pikachu.  I want you to meet my mom before we go.”

 **“Chu,”** said Pikachu as he scowled at Ash.  Ash sighed as he headed downstairs and outside where he saw a crowd waiting for him, his mom at the front of the crowd.  His mom was smiling as she saw her son come down the last few stairs and he recognized some people as being his neighbors and people he had seen around town.

“Mom!  What are you doing here with all these people?”

“I wanted to see you off and got the neighbors to see you off as well.  It’s only once in a lifetime that a young boy or girl is old enough to begin their own Pokémon journey after all. 

“What type of Pokémon did you get?”

“I got a Pikachu mom,” said Ash as he looked down at his partner.  “It’s the Pokémon that was causing problems outside of Pallet Town according to Professor Oak.”

“Are you sure you can handle such a Pokémon Ash?”

“I know it might be difficult at first,” sad Ash, “but I’m willing to try if Pikachu is willing.  Right buddy?”

 **“Chu,”** said Pikachu dismissively. 

Ash frowned at his starter and then turned back to his mom.  “Don’t worry about me mom.  I double checked everything last night so I could arrive here bright and early.”

Delia Ketchum looked down at the Pokémon who had turned away from her son.  “Why isn’t it in its Pokeball?”

“Some Pokémon don’t like being in their Pokeballs,” said Professor Oak. 

“I see,” said Delia.  “Well, it is cute and I’m sure you’ll do your best with training it right Ash?”

“Of course, mom.  We’ll be buddies in no time.”  As Pikachu’s cheeks began to spark with electricity Ash lunged for the Pokémon, only for it to shock everyone with its Thunder Shock attack and make the crowd fall to the ground, twitching from the after effect.  “That’s…some…attack,” said Delila.

“Y…yeah,” said Ash as he lay on the ground where he had fallen, blasted back by the attack.  Beside him, Pikachu was laughing, finding amusement in hurting the human who was his trainer.


End file.
